Buhari’s to blame over Boko Haram killings – South African mercenary

…Said Buhari ordered his men out of Nigeria despite progress in flushing out insurgents

…South African mercenary speaks out after Boko Haram bloodshed

AFP: A South African mercenary who fought Boko Haram jihadists in Nigeria spoke out on Sunday against President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the Islamist insurgency, blaming “poor political decisions” for an upsurge in violence.

Buhari

In a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday, Eeben Barlow criticised Buhari for claiming that Boko Haram is “technically defeated” and said the jihadists are “causing numerous casualties and capturing massive amounts of equipment and ammunition.”

The former South African Defense Force commander said that Buhari’s government cut short his contract after his company STTEP — which stands for Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection — helped reclaim swathes of territory back from Boko Haram at the peak of the nine-year Islamist insurgency in 2015.

“Pressure forced only a small part of the campaign to be successfully implemented before we were ordered to pack up and leave,” Barlow said.

“Many of the men we trained as part of 72 Mobile Strike Force have remained in contact with us (STTEP), pleading for our return to Nigeria,” he said.

“They have also told us that they have been used to a point of exhaustion.”

Despite Buhari’s government saying that Boko Haram is close to defeat, the jihadists have led a number of assaults against the military in recent months, highlighting their continued threat to Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region.

“Northeastern Nigeria is an example of what can happen when intelligence is rejected in favour of a false narrative,” Barlow said.

“Don’t blame the armed forces when poor political decisions result in the deaths of people.”

Barlow’s statement comes after troops fighting on the frontlines of the conflict released a video claiming at least 100 soldiers died in a recent attack on a base in Metele.

It underscored growing desperation among troops, who in June protested at being redeployed to the remote Lake Chad region after fighting for years without relief.

The Nigerian military broke its silence late Friday evening to confirm that the Metele base had been attacked on November 18, but did not give a death toll.

AFP has reported at least 17 attempts to overrun army bases since July.

Many have been claimed by the IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram.

More than 27,000 people are thought to have been killed in the Islamist insurgency that has triggered a humanitarian crisis and left 1.8 million people without homes.

“Don’t blame the armed forces when poor political decisions result in the deaths of people.”

No reasonable Nigerian would EVER blame the Nigerian military for setbacks and casualties they suffer in the war against Boko Haram.I personally believe that we have arguably the best army in Africa, and that informs my anger at how they get deployed.

Having said that, I don't know whether I can trust a mercenary to tell the truth about our problems.

They have a business (a war business) to protect. As far as they are concerned, it was a lose lose to them once they were sent packing from Nigeria.

A Nigerian leader would have genuine reasons for asking the mercenaries to leave, and I would give him that discretion after-all he sees (or should see) the big picture better than an ordinary citizen (never mind a mercenary) on things like this.

He may have a solid reason for asking the mercenaries to leave.

But my greater disappointment is that we ever relied on mercenaries to fight against an irregular force like Boko Haram. Boko Haram and other insurgents use mercenaries. We should not use them.

We need leaders who can end this Boko Haram menace politically so that we won't need to have people from outside telling us how to solve our own problems, be it military or political.

Religious extremist problem needs to be tackled by religious leaders. When religious leader start to teach their members that other people practicing different religion from theirs are not infidels, unbelievers or heathen. Religious leaders are to blame for religious extremist, how can you maim or kill others in the name of religion? Will a dead or injured man convert to your religion? Dr Martin Luther king Jnr says "hatred can't drive out hatred, only love can do that". Let's embrace religious tolerance, with Love the world will become peaceful.